The 20 dreamiest glamping sites to book for a luxury weekend away

Best for: those in need of some sea air

The flower-trimmed Kitchen Garden at Bert’s on the Llŷn Peninsula is well known for its sensational feasts, but its camping facilities are pretty hard to beat, too. Adorned with fairy lights and outdoor seating, the BYOB (bring your own bedding) tents are just a short walk from the shared pantry, which is stocked up with free tea and coffee.

Best for: futuristic glampers

You can choose between big safari tents and geodomes at Ekopod, set between Bodmin Moor and the Cornish coastline. The clear-sided geodomes, like this one, are hidden away with rural views and huge king-sized beds from which to enjoy them. 

Best for: entertainment options

There’s a bunch of glamping options at Campwell Woods, and you could book them all up if you had 14 like-minded pals keen to spend a few nights in a forest in the Cotswolds. Our fave is Yurtup, a two-person yurt with a solid double bed, set in the wilderness. Wander through the trees to find the wood-fired sauna, or book on to classes, from yoga to foraging and a campfire cookery how-to.  

Best for: mahoosive groups

Bunting-lined bell tents in the meadows, cocktails in the Warehouse bar and stories around the campfire: The Fire Pit is the perfect place for groups of friends to bond under the stars. Check out the events at this hip Norfolk retreat – they range from bottomless prosecco and pizza parties to yoga retreats. 

Best for: adventurous kids (and their parents)

Tired of the same old glamping spots? Want to try something a little (okay, very) different? You’ve got to take the kids on a family trip to this American School Bus, which has all the anemities you’d expect from a glamping pod, all packed intoan actual refurbed big yellow bus. With a full kitchen, cosy bunkbeds, surf board and wet suit hire and your own little table and chairs outside, this is basically the way to be in your kids’ good books forever. Take a look at their website; you’ll find sites in Devon and Somerset, and a decked out yellow submarine to stay in too. 

Best for: intimate glamping

These canvas lodges at The Lost Garden Retreat are so luxurious we’re not sure you can get away with calling a stay here camping. The four tents look out over a pretty lake, and each comes with a wood-fired hot tub, fire pit, barbecue, king-sized four poster, real bath (in a bathroom with heated floors!) and fully equipped kitchen. Roughing it this is most definitely not. 

Best for: lovers of woodland wonderlands

Among the wild orchids, ancient hedgerows and streams of this 300-acre sheep farm, you’ll spy handmade wooden pods known as truffles. Honeydown’s woodland pods come with a cosy double bed, toasty wood-burning stove, indoor hammock and a selection of games and books – perfect for those rainy days. 

Best for: stunning surrounding views

Need to really get away from it all? Get lost for the weekend in the 3,000 acres of wilderness at Elmley, woven with nature trails and dotted with cosy huts and bell tents. We love the Sapling tents, which are nestled near to a woodland with stunning views across the hay meadows. Spot hares and larks from the comfort of your cosy double bed, and wonder why you ever moved to the city.

Best for: safari-style escapes

Thick duvets, hot water bottles and egyptian cotton sheets await in these super-comfy safari tents at Longlands. But first you’ll want to cook up a feast on your wood-burning stove and tuck in around a candlelit dining table. (Don’t worry – there’s one secret plug socket if you really need to charge your phone.) 

Best for: an immersive stay in nature

Forget airbeds, you can sleep in an incredible bed hand-crafted from tree trunks in Mallinson’s yurts. This one, called Coracle the Yurt, also has a wood burner and a hot ‘tree shower’, PLUS a pizza oven and a peaceful lake to explore. For an escape into the heart of nature, you can't get much closer than the branches themselves. 

Best for: those who want to step back in time

In the luscious hills surrounding the Forest of Dean, this little haven is a proper escape from the rest of the world. The yurts themselves do not disappoint: fitted with the comfiest, squishiest king-sized bed, a sofa, wood burner to keep you warm (and to fry bacon on in the morning) and dining table, Mrs Mills kits you out with everything you might possibly need, right down to the champagne flutes. She also delivers a slap-up breakfast on the first morning, with yoghurt parfait, croissants, eggs, bacon and bread. The best part though is the wood burning hot tub, and fire pit, which you can use to warm through one of Mrs Mills’ homemade pre-prepared campfire meals (we can recommend the persian curry), Bear Grylls style. 

Best for: a home away from home

If bell tents and yurts still feel a little outdoorsy for your liking, take a look at this baby. You’re still technically under canvas in Gravel Pit Farm’s safari-style tents but you get perks like wi-fi, electricity, real toilets, a gas cooker and a four-poster bed. So, pretty much your flat, but in a lush Kent field. 

Best for: Fleetwood Mac fans

This petite retreat on a peaceful estate in Kent hopes to be more like an ‘outdoor boutique hotel’ than a campsite, and we think they’ve nailed it. Elegant bell tents are hooked up to the mains at Camp Quaives, meaning you can spam everyone on Instagram without fear of draining your battery. And forget trying to light a barbecue, wholesome meals are served at the Patio, an alfresco kitchen and bar that ensures guests never go hungry. 

Best for: adventurous families

The luxe bell tents at Moat Island Glamping are set up in what was once the moat for Haveringland Hall. These days, you’ll find spacious Lotus Belle tents with proper beds, fresh linen, wood burners and camping stoves; and a ‘stargazing castle’ complete with kitchen, fire pit and king-sized bed with stunning 360-degree views. And the dreamiest part? They’re all pitched around an idyllic natural swimming pond for that refreshing morning dip. 

Best for: wildlife enthusiasts

Guests won’t want to ‘leaf’ the luxury treetop hideaways at By the Wye, which elevate glamping to a whole new level. Set on the border between Wales and Herefordshire, this cluster of safari tents are perched on platforms and provide total seclusion in the tree’s canopy. Inside, expect a compact kitchen, wood-burning stove, ensuite bathroom complete with fluffy towels and some (like The Ivy) even have their own barbecue.

Best for: lazy city-dwellers

Burnt-out campers needn’t lift a finger at Home Farm, where a breakfast box or an indulgent afternoon tea – including finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and homemade cakes – can be pre-booked and delivered straight to your bell tent. Time your visit with a supper club under the oak tree for a totally indulgent stay.     

Best for: proper tranquility

Peace and quiet is guaranteed in this secluded spot at Oak Apple Lodge, surrounded by old oak trees. You get a true rural experience, but with mirrors, lanterns, heated blankets and Moroccan-inspired interiors rather than sleeping bags and tent pegs.

Best for: a romantic setting

With so much to do on this 300-acre estate, even the hot tub, log burner and stargazer ceiling might not lure you back to your geodome. From bird-watching in the meadows to walking paths around the 270-acre woodland, bushcraft training to its very own pub with open fires and Yorkshire ales, Camp Kátur is like Disneyland for glamping. 

Campwell believes that by ‘reconnecting with nature and living more harmoniously with it, we rediscover part of ourselves’, and we’re certainly not here to argue with them. Choose from two sites: Campwell Woods and Campwell Farm. Each of the roomy bell tents have real beds, fresh linen and a wood burner to keep you warm. The loos are of the compost variety, but you’ll also find hot showers, a well-equipped kitchen and – wait for it – an indoor pool. Fancy, right?

Best for: swimming and saunas

Set just off the wild Welsh coastline, Fforest Farm is a beautifully curated hideaway that wants to bring guests closer to nature. After a day of kayaking or swimming in the sea, retreat to your bell tent – complete with private outdoor kitchen – to cook up a storm on the barbecue, or get steamy in the cedar barrel sauna, just a short walk away.